Erik Nitsche (Swiss, 1908 - 1998) "Pansy - Manuscript Illumination" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the Germany 120 + 60pf Medieval Manuscript Illumination stamp issued October 15, 1985. During the Middle Ages, the medieval mind delighted in ornate and colorful art. And nowhere is this love more evident than in medieval manuscripts, for they are alive with intricate and colorful drawings created in the margins and at the beginnings of chapters by patient monks working by hand. Known as illuminations, these miniature works of art virtually illuminate the pages of the ancient manuscripts with their bright colors and intricate designs. But beyond their beauty, the illuminations also mark an important milestone in history, for their disappearance -- with the invention of printing -- signified the end of an antiquated age and became a strong signal of the coming of modern culture. Illumination reached its highest form in the 14th and 15th centuries, when pages were decorated with gold, silver and all the colors of the rainbow. Indeed, the gray parchment was lighted with floriated letters, margins filled with leaves and branches and scenes from the painter's own life. Through their works, the illuminators imbued the written page with a beauty and attractiveness beyond the powers of a mere scribe alone. Since many of the illuminated manuscripts were religious in nature, the figures illuminated often had religious significance. Together, all the colorful flora and fauna pictured in the medieval manuscript offer praise to God from a dedicated and pious monk.

Image Size: 12 x 14 in.
Overall Size: 15 x 20 in.
Unframed.
(B09824)

- By registering to bid for this auction either in-house or online and/or placing a bid in this auction the BIDDER/BUYER agrees to all the terms and conditions of Helmuth Stone Gallery Auctions.

- Due to the size of our gallery not all items are out for preview at one time. If you plan on coming to preview any lot(s) we recommend letting us know prior so we can have them collected and prepared for your preview.

- All silver, gold and/or jewelry lots or invoices containing said lots MUST be paid for via WIRE TRANSFER, no other forms of payment will be accepted.

- All items are sold as-is where-is and no guarantees are made of any kind. All sales are final; no refunds will be given under any circumstances.

- All artwork is listed and sold per section (10) of our terms and conditions, please read over all definitions of authorship prior to bidding to better understand artwork listings.

- Helmuth Stone Gallery provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections, or the effects of aging.

- Online images can sometimes be low quality due to the uploading process, original high-resolution images can be requested via email at HelmuthStone@gmail.com

- We recommend looking into shipping quotes prior to bidding, shipping quotes can take up to a week or more post-sale as we host our auctions through multiple online platforms and shipping can become backlogged, if you would like a list of local shippers please email us directly.

- Our auction catalogs are hosted through multiple online platforms along with phone and in-house bidding. Bids placed on other platforms are not shown through this catalog. Because of this, even if it appears you are the only absentee bid or bidder on a lot, you may already be outbid or may have placed a bid equal to another bidder. Therefore, we always recommend bidding live.

- Unless otherwise stated in the description, all items are sold without additional documentation or COAs. If any supporting documentation is available an image will be available online via the catalog listing.